First Emirati feature gets thumbs up from Dubai

City of Life, the first multi-lingual feature film to be written, produced and directed by an Emirati with funding from the UAE, will begin production next month in Dubai. Several big names are aligned with the movie including DIFF, UAE-based producer Filmworks as well as well-known stars like comedian Ahmed Ahmed, Saoud Al Ka’abu, Alexandra Maria Lara, Sonu Sood and Natalie Dormer.

Ali Mostafa, writer and director of the film, claimed this is the first local film to be made on such a large scale. The central plot revolves around three people belonging to different cultures and walks of life in Dubai. A privileged Emirati male, a less fortunate and disillusioned Indian taxi driver, and a Western woman’s lives are about to collide for better or for worse in a city where ambition, growth and opportunity are encouraged and dreams can still manifest. City of Life explores the complex network that exists in an emerging multi-cultural society’s race, ethnicity and class divide and examines how random interactions and their consequences can irrevocably impact each other’s life.

“Each of the characters will be speaking in their native languages. We are flying in international teams to do stunts. You can expect to see some major accidents created on Sheikh Zayed Road,” commented Mostafa, although he refused to divulge more.

Filmworks, which has undertaken production of the project, explains that it will support projects that promote the film industry in the UAE.

“This is the first local film to have secured sizeable finance,” commented Tim Smythe, CEO of Filmworks. “It is an adequate budget to produce a complex film to international standards. It is complex in that it has a large cast ensemble and will be shot at lots of different locations. We are also shooting in three different languages. We have always supported the development of local projects and we have worked to develop the film industry here. The fact that Mostafa has secured part of the finance for the film makes it a viable project.”
The film will be shot next month in Dubai.

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